(no subject)

[hellison]

At the risk of opening the can of messy worms that posts about rape always seem to, this quote this morning, tagged on the end of a brief news report just made me twitch -
The attack was condemned by local politicians who urged women to look out for each other during the current party season
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/4551200.stm

Because of course
a. You can't trust ANY men to look out for you
b. It's entirely the responsibility of women to make sure you're safe.

Yes, it is good that they are concerned, it is good advice in its way and yes, I may well be reading too much into it, but that's just how it struck me.
I'm not sure if it's the implication that you can't trust/rely on men or that it's all down to women too look out for each other because it's our responsibility to make sure we are safe, not men's responsibility to have some self control/respect for women that bothers me more.
Why aren't they urging men not to be rapists in the first place?

Hmm. I was going to say I've obviously been lucky with the men I know/have met, but surely it's not 'luck' that my male friends aren't rapists and that I can trust them fully? Surely that's NORMAL?

Comments

[thesme-01.livejournal.com]

The way male victims are treated is an absolute disgrace. They are more likely to be ridiculed by those they report to. Their masculinity and identity is called into question. They have next to no chance of securing a conviction in court. They are at high risk of committing suicide or self-harming. It's a goddamn fucking disgrace.

On another note - the whole thing about a genetic tendency towards rape is something I'm very very uncomfortable with. All the research indicates it is a social/emotional phenomenon to do with suppressed anger and a sense of powerlessness (justified or not). The implications of the genetic argument are pretty horrible - either all men are programmed to rape (which I just don't believe at all) or the children of women who have been raped carry the gene and that's just a horror show. There is no evidence at all for the presence of a rape gene. Not in twin studies, not in the human genome study, nowhere. There's a big popular movement around these days for explaining lots and lots and lots of things via genetics, but there just ain't no evidence for it.

Irish people - remember Pat Kenny's famous rape gene argument?
Pat Kenny (an android masquerading as a broadcaster/presenter) has a radio show weekdays 10-12. During one of our interminable pro-choice debates, he was doing a slot on abortion. Pat supported the pro-choice person by adding the infamous argument that a woman who had been raped should have the right to an abortion because her child would carry the father's genes including the 'rape' gene. The pro-choice person was flabbergasted. A public outcry was sparked. Pat's response to this was to come on air the next day and announce that he had spoken to a friend of his who was a Professor of Genetics in Trinity College, Dublin and his friend had agreed with him. The 'friend' came on the next day and denied he had ever said or supported such a thing.

Dear God.

[hellison.livejournal.com]

Didn't hear that one at all. He really is just the new gay burne isn't he? But then you'd never catch me listening to anything else when Ray is on.

RE male victims I have no idea how they're treated, which is an indication in itself of just how far it's swept under the carpet. There have been many many discussions on rape lately around LJ and elsewhere and I have actually seen people say 'but men don't get raped' and genuinely believe it.

[thesme-01.livejournal.com]

oh yeah you'd have to look long and hard to find anything about male rape, but think of all those prison references - it's kind of like it's there but it's not there.

We've come across some shocking stuff about how the Gardai treat men who report either violent sexual assault (as opposed to child abuse) or domestic violence perpetrated against them. Sometimes they're literally laughed out of it and told to F off.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_unhurt_/]

my understanding is that men who are raped rarely report it because either 1: they're straight and fear that they will be considered gay because of it, or 2: they are gay, and feel (sometimes with some good reason) that it will be assumed that they must have wanted it. because, of course, all gay men will fuck anyone, anywhere, any time. shyeah, riiiight.

i know one (gay) man in belfast who was raped. he didn't even consider going to the police. and i should say that as i understand it he was attacked by TWO strangers. nasty.

[thesme-01.livejournal.com]

It's an utter disgrace - I would add in there that there are a fair few men who have reported (doon sooth that is) and have been treated with utter contempt.

My view is - being male or female, gay or straight, black, white or brown and so on makes no difference to the trauma and abuse involved in the act. Anyone who reports sexual assault of any nature has the absolute human right to be heard, respected and supported. Enough of these stupid distinctions. Abuse of power is abuse of power and is fundamentally wrong. Why can't society get to grips with this?

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